Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to surgical instruments. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a surgical instrument including a reusable handle and shaft assembly and a disposable end effector configured to be releasably coupled thereto.
Description of Related Art
Endoscopic forceps are commonly used in endoscopic surgical procedures to coagulate, cauterize and seal tissue. Such forceps typically include a pair of jaw members that can be controlled by a surgeon to grasp targeted tissue, such as, e.g., a blood vessel. Utilizing a movable handle of the forceps, the jaw members may be approximated toward one another to apply a mechanical clamping force to the tissue. The jaw members are typically associated with one or more electrodes to permit the delivery of electrosurgical energy to the tissue. The combination of mechanical clamping force and electrosurgical energy has been demonstrated to fuse adjacent layers of tissue captured between the jaw members with limited demarcation therebetween.
While this type of endoscopic forceps is suitable for its intended use, since it is typically disposable it is relatively expensive because it is not reusable after a surgical procedure.